The present invention relates to gas separation nozzles and to a method and apparatus for producing such nozzles. Gas separation nozzles are employed for separating gases or vapors having different molecular weights from each other, especially for separating isotopes from each other with the aid of sectional rods forming separation elements having projecting nozzle lips or edges. Stainless sectional steel or aluminum alloys may, for example, be employed for the production of the nozzle parts, especially the separation elements.
Separation nozzles of the just described type are useful, for example, for performing a method as described by Dr. E. W. Becker et al. in Paper 383 presented at the Fourth International Conference of the United Nations regarding the peaceful exploitation of nuclear energy at Geneva in 1971. The separation of gases and isotopes may be accomplished by means of centrifuges as well as with the aid of separation nozzles. The latter have the great advantage that the separation is accomplished with substantially stationary plants or equipment. However, such plants of a technically useful size, for example, uranium accumulation plants require a total separation nozzle length in the order of about 1,000 km and even more. German Patent Publications Nos. 1,794,274; 1,198,328 and 1,951,639 as well as German Pat. No. 1,908,693 describe methods for the production of separation nozzles of the type required in this context.
In order to assure a good efficiency factor of a separation nozzle plant, it is necessary to maintain a given nozzle geometry over the entire length of the separation nozzles. Such nozzle geometry must in fact be maintained with the highest precision, whereby the permissible tolerances may in certain instances not exceed about 0.001 mm. It has been found that prior art methods for producing separation nozzle elements are capable of achieving a comparable quality for such elements, however, at a substantially higher production effort and cost so that prior art methods are economically not feasible.